


Mary

by deareststars



Series: music is the only pleasure we have [6]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crying, Dancing, During Canon, F/M, Inspired by Music, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Other, Reader is gender neutral, Slow Dancing, Vanya Hargreeves Needs A Hug, so you and her slow dance and it's cute, vanya just really wants to be loved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 13:31:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18389405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deareststars/pseuds/deareststars
Summary: "I just want them to..." Vanya trailed off and you saw her jaw clench and unclench. Tears began to build in her eyes. "I just want them to accept me."---based off of 'mary' by big thief





	Mary

**Author's Note:**

> ahh this is short but i haven't written anything for this fandom in a really long time and i just decided, "hey, might as well." i didn't really know what to write for this song either so have this semi half-assed attempt as i try to get into the swing of things (or something)

You and Vanya were sat in her apartment, her head in your lap and your fingers running methodically through her hair. It was maybe just an hour after your siblings had a family meeting and failed to tell either you or her about it, leaving both of you storming through the rain and Vanya's shouting voice echoing through the city streets.

 

Your mind still flashed with pictures of the destruction she had wrought, the streetlamps curled down toward the road and the cars shaking in their spots. Vanya had seemed so genuinely confused and distressed, and that same expression was still on her face even as you tried to calm her down. The tea you had brought over was forgotten on the coffee table, steam wafting toward the ceiling.

 

"Did I really cause that?" she whispered, stirring you out of your thoughts. You looked down at her and saw her eyes, so tired and broken and upset, staring up at you. "Am I actually starting to...to develop powers?"

 

You continued to run your hands through her hair. "I don't know, love," you replied, keeping your voice quiet although there was no need to. Vanya had decided to try and stop using her meds for an unspecified time period, wondering what would happen, and although you didn't think it was an incredibly well thought-out plan, there didn't seem to be any repercussions. "Do you think it might be because of your pills? I didn't notice anything until after you stopped."

 

She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. Her chest was moving up and down underneath her clothing, which she had yet to change out of and you as well. "Maybe," she finally said. "But...I just can't believe it. All this time, Dad told me that I never had powers and that I wasn't like my siblings, and now I'm suddenly magical or whatever?" She rolled over onto her side so her face was toward your stomach. "Honestly, I just want to fall asleep right now. Pretend like none of this ever happened."

 

You chuckled. "You're going to have to change before you do that," you chided her, scooping her up with ease and carrying her bridal style to the bathroom. She let out a muttered protest before going relatively limp and letting you take her in. "Go ahead and start the bath, I'll grab some clothes for us to change into when we're done."

 

Despite everything that happened, your foreshadowing made a small dimpled smile appear on her face. "You're catching my attention, and I don't really appreciate that." She turned to start the bath and you grabbed some clothes out of your shared closet. Your wardrobe was relatively simple, much like Vanya's, so it wasn't long before you were back in the bathroom and you had climbed into the bathtub with her.

 

You took turn washing each other's hair and backs before just settling into the warm water, with her back against yours and your arms wrapped around her stomach. You rested your chin on her shoulder and took in a whiff of the muted scent coming off of her skin. "You smell good," you teased. "Much better than before."

 

She groaned and flicked some water over her shoulder at your face. "Shut up, I always smell nice," she retorted, but there was little to no anger in her voice. She settled back against you, only moving when she saw the pads of her fingers beginning to prune and wrinkle. "Alright, come on, I don't want to turn into a raisin."

 

"But raisins are good," you whined, laughing as she attempted to attack you with water again. "Okay, okay."

 

You got out of the bath and helped her out. After drying and putting on your clothes, your hair still dripping wet and hers similarly so, you walked out of the bathroom and tapped your chin as you tried to think of something to do.

 

Finally, you settled on turning on some music. A piano began to echo throughout your small apartment and you held your hand out to Vanya with a cheeky smile. "May I have this dance?" you asked, making sure you were bowed as low as you could go in an attempt to get some sort of laugh out of her.

 

You succeeded, a little huff of air coming out of her as she accepted your hand. "Of course," she said. You assumed a typical waltzing position with her, putting your hand on the curve of her waist and clasping her free hand with yours. Her other hand rested on your shoulder, and she looked up at you with a cocked eyebrow. "Well? I don't recall you teaching me how to waltz with a partner, and I am in desperate need of a teacher."

 

"Oh, that is  _the_ biggest lie you've ever told me," you scolded, "but if you insist. After all, it's not every day you get a teacher as wonderful as me."

 

Vanya rolled her eyes, but you and her began to waltz in a small, cramped circle, not wanting to bother any of your furniture. Still, you managed to get a smooth rhythm going, humming along to the tune of the song as your powers started to make lazy waves of energy go out from your body. It made your clothing move slightly, as though you were in a shampoo commercial of sorts, and the same effect was happening with Vanya.

 

She moved forward and put her head on your chest. "Hey, if...if it turns out that this is all a hoax, and I don't actually have powers, would you be...disappointed?"

 

You frowned and released her hand to lift her chin up. "What do you mean, love?" you asked. She was biting her bottom lip gently with her top teeth, gnawing at it with anxiety, and her eyes refused to meet yours.

 

"I just...I feel like you could do better than me, is all," she mumbled. You squished her face with your forefinger and thumb, and she said a sharp, "Hey!" in protest.

 

"Vanya, I have dated you for the past couple of years and know you better than all of our siblings combined," you reminded her. "And we've had this conversation at least twice every two months. I'll tell you the same answer I gave you all those other times: I don't care if you don't have powers. I don't care if you're not magical. Vanya, you're special, you're wonderful, and I love you with every fiber of my being, okay?"

 

Her eyebrows knit together and she swatted your hand away. "No, it isn't just that. I guess I'm not asking if you would be disappointed, but more...what do you think Allison and the others would think?"

 

"Why do you care about what those bastards have to say?" you asked, cocking your head. "Before Dad died and it was just you and me, you never really cared."

 

Vanya let out a mirthless laugh and shook her head. "It's honestly kind of stupid."

 

"Nothing you say will be stupid. Tell me."

 

Her smile faded and she took in a shaky breath. "I just want them to..." Vanya trailed off and you saw her jaw clench and unclench. Tears began to build in her eyes. "I just want them to accept me."

 

Your gaze softened and you released her. The song had ended by now, and since you had nothing else to dance to, you took her into a gentle hug. Her hands immediately scrambled to find purchase on your back, and you felt the front of your shirt grow wet as she began to cry fully. You immediately strengthened your hug and wrapped her completely in your arms, nestling your face into her neck and whispering sweet nothings.

 

"Thank you," she finally managed to choke out. "Thank you for being here. I don't tell you that enough, but you've been here for me and through everything our siblings have done even though you could've very easily just left me and--"

 

"Shh," you whispered, pulling back and lifting her face up so you could make direct eye contact with her. You moved your hand to the back of her head and rested your forehead against hers. "You never have to feel like you're worthless around me. You're my everything. Never forget that."

 

Her face seemed to crumple again and she nodded tearfully, her eyes beginning to swim and her brown eyes glinting in the dim sunlight coming in through the windows. "O-Okay."

 

_We overcome the sirens_

_  
We look both left and right_

  
_And I can feel the numbness accompany my plight_


End file.
